Example embodiments relate to memory devices, and more particularly, to a method of programming a spare region of a memory device, and apparatuses capable of performing the method.
Flash memory is widely used as a storage medium of an electronic apparatus which is one of non-volatile memory devices. Metadata of firmware or software necessary for an operational algorithm of the flash memory is stored in the spare region of the flash memory. When the metadata is programmed in a multi-level cell included in the spare region, the integrity of the metadata is lower than when the metadata is programmed in a SLC. Moreover, since the metadata has a limit in hardware, the number of methods capable of securing the integrity of the metadata is smaller than that of methods capable of securing the integrity of user data stored in a main region of the flash memory.